Barbados
North America · Bridgetown · BB
Barbados is the easternmost island of the Caribbean, a coral land of British charm, beach life and a culture of cricket, rum and the Friday fish fry of the coast, and its clear water, easterly trade winds and coral reefs make it a top sailing and diving destination. Bridgetown, the capital, holds the careenage of the harbour, the colonial-era garrison and the synagogue and the museum of the island's long history, while the calm beaches and the luxury hotels of the west coast contrast with the surf and the wild Atlantic of the east. The island is small, friendly and endlessly walkable, with the chattel houses, the plantation houses and the coral cliffs of the interior, and the fish markets selling the flying fish of the national dish, fried with the cornmeal of the cou-cou. Warm, safe, easy and deeply welcoming, Barbados is often called one of the best introductions to the English-speaking Caribbean.
Overview
Barbados is a country in North America. Its capital is Bridgetown and the international dialling code is +1246. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include English. Local currency is the Barbadian Dollar (BBD). Our guide covers 1 airport, including Grantley Adams International Airport. We also list 1 city in Barbados: Bridgetown.
Bridgetown, the Harbour and the Garrison of the Capital
The capital of Bridgetown is a small, walkable city of international importance, its careenage harbour carrying the boats and the yachts into the heart of the business district. The parliament buildings, the cathedral and the painted colonial facades of the centre hold the British inheritance, and the garrison at the edge of the city, one of the best-preserved colonial military settlements in the world, stands as a world heritage site with its parade ground, its barracks and its old fortifications. The synagogue of the Jewish community, restored and cared for, reaches back to the seventeenth century, and the museums of the city tell the island's story from the Amerindian past to the present. The capital is the best one-day walk in the country, and its waterfront sets the whole island's tone of calm and order.
The West Coast Beaches and the Calm of the Sea
The west coast of Barbados, the Platinum Coast, runs the calm waters of the Caribbean side of the island between the beaches of Holetown, Speightstown and the long stretch of the Paynes Bay. The sand is pale, the water is still and the hotels of the coast, from the historic grande dames to the modern luxury villas, step directly onto the shore. The snorkelling of the coastline, the turtles of the reef and the glass-bottom boats of the afternoon fill the quiet days, and the beach bars and the restaurants of the coast hold the lunchtime tables. It is the classic, gentle face of the island, where the sea is always warm and the pace is set by the tide. For the pure, effortless beach life, the west coast is the star of Barbados.
The East Coast, the Surf and the Wild Atlantic
The east coast of Barbados faces the open Atlantic, and the difference is immediate: the rollers of the deep sea break on the reefs and the cliffs, the wind bends the palms and the beaches are broad, wild and eminently Atlantic. The surf at Bathsheba, the low village of the windward shore, draws the board riders to its famous breaks, and the rugged headlands of the coast, the rock formations and the blowholes of the northern end, give the island its most dramatic scenery. The beaches here are for walking and lounging rather than the calm swimming of the west, and the picnic tables and the food shacks of the shore serve the local crowd. The drive along the windward coast, through the small villages and the steep green of the hills, is one of the great short road trips of the Caribbean.
The Plantation Houses, the Chattel Houses and the Interior
The interior of Barbados, the green heart of the island between the coasts, holds the history of the sugar that made the country rich. The restored plantation houses, the great house of St Nicholas Abbey and the wide galleries of the older estates, keep the furniture, the gardens and the long views over the cane fields, and the windmills and the chimneys of the old works stand among the modern fields. The smaller houses of the everyday, the chattel houses of the carpenters painted in the bright pastels of the island, were built to be moved on sledges by their working owners, and the lanes of the interior are lined with them. The gardens of the island, the Andromeda and the flower forest, spread the orchids and the tropical bloom of the island's natural pride. The interior rounds out the picture beyond the beaches.
The Flying Fish, the Rum and the Friday Fish Fry
The national dish of Barbados is the flying fish, the silver fish of the offshore waters that birds the waters of the east, fried and served with the cornmeal of the cou-cou, and it appears on the tables of the restaurants and the beach bars across the island. The Friday night tradition is the fish fry of the coast, the outdoor grills of Oistins where the whole island gathers for the grills, the dancing and the long conversations of the evening. The rum of Barbados, the oldest of the Caribbean distilleries and the home of the style, is poured in the cocktails and the tastings of the estates, and the black cake and the local sweets round off the table. The food of the island is simple, fresh and deeply local, and eating it is as much a part of the trip as the beaches.
Compare hotels, cover your trip and stay connected.
- Capital
- Bridgetown
- Currency
- Barbadian Dollar (BBD)
- Languages
- English
- Calling code
- +1246
- Internet TLD
- bb
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Barbados.
Which nationalities can enter Barbados?
Current visa status for tourism for the origins we cover, with links to the detailed requirements.
Airports (1)
All airports →Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit Barbados?
For the origins we track, travellers from Australia, Canada, France, Germany and Italy currently enter Barbados visa-free for tourism, and 4 more origins are visa-free too. Entry rules depend on your passport and the purpose of your trip, so check the current requirements for your own nationality with our entry requirements tool.
What is the capital of Barbados?
Bridgetown is the capital of Barbados, and the country sits in North America.
What currency is used in Barbados?
You pay with Barbadian Dollar (BBD) in Barbados. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Barbados?
The languages we list for Barbados are English. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Barbados?
The dialling code for Barbados is +1246 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which airports serve Barbados?
Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) in Bridgetown is the airport we cover for Barbados.
Which cities in Barbados do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Barbados: Bridgetown (capital).